Keeping The Republic

When the idea for 262 Cigars was first being kicked around, we knew we wanted to build something with a larger meaning behind it, something more than just selling cigars. We wanted to create a company that would reach far beyond the norm and foster a purpose with which the average person could find a connection.

Our message is clear; stand up for your right to smoke a premium cigar and raise your voice against those in power seeking to restrict our rights, over-regulate our industry, and tax our products excessively.

We are very much inspired by America’s founding principles. The Declaration of Independence was my primary inspiration in writing the 262 Manifesto and although the document as a whole is a masterpiece of human literature, there is one section at the heart of the 262 Revolution.

But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.

These days it seems that people have forgotten that those in office, both State and Federal, are servants of the people they represent. I’d wager that the average American feels pretty helpless when it comes to enacting change in their country. Nothing could be further from the truth and I believe many of those in office are counting on that, and even playing a direct part in maintaining that mindset.

As cigar enthusiasts, we should answer the call of The Declaration and take our marching orders from the US Constitution. I like how Nicolas Cage’s character in National Treasure explained the aforementioned quote from The Declaration.

“If there’s something wrong, those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action.”

We have no business sitting around complaining about the government’s intrusion into our lives and infringement on our rights if that’s as far as we’re willing to take it. To truly be a part of the Great American Experiment; for principles like Freedom, Liberty, and Charity to really work, we must play our part.

This Republic was paid for at too high a cost to sit back and watch it be hammered into the image of every other big-government, faux-democracy on the planet.

At the close of the Constitutional Convention, a woman asked Benjamin Franklin what type of government the Constitution was bringing into existence. Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” ~fff.org